Van Kirk

News from the Cauliflower Patch: Either Ron Essett is the luckiest fighter since Chuck Davey or the super middleweight who used to fight out of this precinct is getting very close to becoming what in boxing is referred to as an "opponent."Unsuccessful in earlier bids for the WBA and WBC 168-pound titles, the latter coming last summer in Sicily, Essett gets another chance April 25 in London. Chris Eubanks' WBO crown will be at stake this time.Baltimorean Tommy Rothe manages the Florida fighter and he had pretty well given up after Essett turned in such an uninspired performance against WBC champ Mauro Galvano.

After staging his first championship match last month, local boxing promoter Stuart Satosky will return to a club fight format, April 15, at the Pikesville Armory.Baltimore welterweight Eddie Van Kirk (24-7,12 KOs), who scored a last-round knockout of Jose Torres in the semifinal to the Vincent Pettway-Gilbert Baptist title fight last month, will headline the show against Edwin Curet (26-11, 11 KOs) of Boston.Most of Curet's losses have come against former champions or top contenders such as Greg Haugen, Livingston Bramble and Johnny Duplessis.

After staging his first championship match last month, local boxing promoter Stuart Satosky will return to a club fight format, April 15, at the Pikesville Armory.Baltimore welterweight Eddie Van Kirk (24-7,12 KOs), who scored a last-round knockout of Jose Torres in the semifinal to the Vincent Pettway-Gilbert Baptist title fight last month, will headline the show against Edwin Curet (26-11, 11 KOs), of Boston.Most of Curet's losses have come against former champions or top contenders such as Greg Haugen, Livingston Bramble and Johnny Duplessis.

Vincent Pettway has stumbled several times in recent years on the way to a boxing title.But last night the Baltimore fighter took the final step, winning a split decision over Gilbert Baptist of San Diego to capture the United States Boxing Association's junior-middleweight championship.The overflow crowd of 2,000 that lined the walls of the Pikesville Armory was kept in suspense by ring announcer Rex Barney. The first two judges' cards announced were Chris Wollenson of Virginia, who backed Pettway, 116-112, and Patricia Montgomery of Washington, who favored Baptist, 115-113.

They're talking about a sellout for the boxing show at the Pikesville Armory next Wednesday night, and judging from the ratings just released by the U.S. Boxing Association, the joint should be packed.When Vincent Pettway (34-4) climbs into the ring to oppose Gilbert Baptist (23-12), the vacant junior-middleweight title will be on the line and the fighters are rated No. 2 and 3, respectively, by that organization.There's a strong rumor that the winner stands a strong chance of getting a shot at the IBF 154-pound crown held by Gianfranco Rosi of Italy.

Baltimore junior middleweight Vincent Pettway will get his first title shot on Feb. 19 when he battles Gilbert Baptist of San Diego for the vacant United States Boxing Association title.Stuart Satosky, who will promote the 12-round championship match at the Pikesville Armory, received the official sanctioning yesterday from International Boxing Federation president Bob Lee.The IBF has Pettway (34-4, 25 KOs) ranked eighth in the world and Baptist (23-12, 8 KOs) rated No. 9 behind champion Gianfanco Rosi, of Italy.

A heavyweight bout Feb. 6 will headline the next Josh Hall-Victoria Savaliski Round One Promotions Dinner and Boxing Show at Michael's 8th Avenue in Glen Burnie.Hall and Savaliski staged a successful debut at the plush Michael's catering hall Nov. 14, making a modest profit -- for the first time in several shows. Things had gone awry at La Fontaine Bleu in Glen Burnie, and the change to Michael's has sparked a new interest in pro boxing in the county.For their first show of the new year, Hall and Savaliski have decided to feature a heavyweight bout as the main event.

Baltimore welterweight Eddie Van Kirk is his own worst critic.After fighting an eight-round draw with Henry Hughes of Cleveland, the inaugural boxing show at Michael's in Glen DTC Burnie, Van Kirk said: "I thought I stunk tonight. If I hadn't trained so hard and been in such good condition, after a performance like this I would have said, 'Give it up. Quit!' "But Van Kirk (23-7-2), who has not looked impressive since being stopped by world-ranked Vincent Pettway in April, still harbors title ambitions.

The South Atlantic Amateur Boxing Federation is sanctioning 15 boutsTuesday night at the National Guard Armory in Annapolis.The bouts, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Annapolis, begin at 7:30 p.m.Among the fighters on the card are Pasadena's Jose Chacon (119 pounds) and Dominick Minguzzi (139), and Millersville heavyweight BrianKimbal.Admission is $10 for everyone 13 and over, and $5 for those 12 and under.Tickets can be obtained at the Annapolis Paint Company, 1605 West St., 263-5072.VAN KIRK AT MICHAEL'SThe next Round One Promotion's boxing card is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 14, atMichael's 8th Avenue in Glen Burnie.

Baltimore welterweight Eddie Van Kirk's mauling style was hardly as pretty as his fringed boxing trunks, but it proved effective in dominating Anthony Ross of Alexandria, Va., in the eight-round main event at LaFontaine Bleu in Glen Burnie last night.A crowd of 450 saw Van Kirk (23-7-1) use a swarming attack to repeatedly pin Ross against the ropes and pelt his body with short, chopping blows.Every round was much the same the same, with Ross serving alittle more than a punching bag.Fighting for the first time since he lost to Vincent Pettway last March, Van Kirk, 27, had Ross (6-9)